Identification system

ABSTRACT

A system for identifying the proper user of a credit card or the like in a vending machine or the like. Each card used in the system is given an identification number and a key number both written on the card and a secret number previously known to the proper owner of the card. To make the secret number, the order or arrangement of the numerals constituting the identification number is changed or scrambled in accordance with a program as determined on the basis of the key number, and from the scrambled identification number some of the component numerals are removed in accordance with a program as determined on the basis of the key number, so that the remaining numerals are formed into the secret number of the card. When the card is used for a credit purchase, the system recognizes the secret number of the card from its identification number and key number in accordance with the above-mentioned programs, and then compares that secret number thus recognized with the secret number separately entered into the system by the user of the card. If the two secret numbers are found identical, the system recognizes the user of the card as its proper owner.

we e! QR meesitl [15] 3,665,162 [4 1 May 23, 1972 IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM[72] Inventors: Mititaka Yamamoto, Kyoto; Kazuhiro Kawahara, Hyogo;Tadao Morita, Kyoto, all of Japan [73] Assignee: Omron TateisiElectronics Co., Kyoto,

Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1969 [21] App1.No.: 884,270

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 16, 1968 Japan ..43/92201[52] U.S. Cl ..235/6L7 B, 340/149 A, 179/2 CA [51] Int.Cl. ..G06k 9/00[58] Field ofSearch ..340/149, 149 A; 235/61.7 B,

235/6l.7, 61.11; 179/2 CA [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,221,304 11/1965 Enikeieffetal ..340/149 3,513,298 5/1970 Riddle etal..235/61.11

Mathews ..235/6l.7 B UX Primary Examiner-Maynard R. Wilbur AssistantExaminer-William W. Cochran Attorney-Christensen, Sanbom & Matthews [57]ABSTRACT A system for identifying the proper user of a credit card orthe like in a vending machine or the like. Each card used in the systemis given an identification number and a key number both written on thecard and a secret number previously known to the proper owner of thecard. To make the secret number, the order or arrangement of thenumerals constituting the identification number is changed or scrambledin accordance with a program as determined on the basis of the keynumber, and from the scrambled identification number some of thecomponent numerals are removed in accordance with a program asdetermined on the basis of the key number, so that the remainingnumerals are formed into the secret number of the card. When the card isused for a credit purchase, the system recognizes the secret number ofthe card from its identification number and key number in accordancewith the above-mentioned programs, and then compares that secret numberthus recognized with the secret number separately entered into thesystem by the user of the card. If the two secret numbers are foundidentical, the system recognizes the user of the card as its properowner.

4 Claim, 10 Drawing Figures Patented May 23, 1972 3,665,162

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ATTORNEY Patented May 23, 1972 3,665,162

5 Sheets-Sheet Z BY W W {M ATTORNEY Patented May 23, 1972 3,665,162

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 KAJJ/H/A'd Maw/Mk4 21440 40/27 m INVENTORS BY Mm,

ATTORNEY Patented May 23, 1972 3,665,162

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR} ATTORNEY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM This inventionrelates to an identification system and, more particularly, to a systemfor identifying the proper user of a credit card or the like in avending machine or the like.

In recent years credit purchasing using a personalized credit card hasbecome very popular in hotels, restaurants and other establishments. Oneof the problems involved in such credit sales systems is how to preventfraudulent use of credit cards by improper holders who happen to obtainlost or stolen cards. To protect against such improper use of the cards,it has been proposed to give each card two different code numbers, onebeing written on the card as the card number while the other ispreviously known to the proper owner of the card as its secret number,so that when a purchase is to be made, the purchaser inserts his cardinto the machine and at the same time enters the secret number into themachine by manually operating a dial or pushbutton keyboard. The secretnumber is a number obtained by converting or scrambling the card numberin accordance with a predetermined program or rule. The machineunscrambles the secret number dialed thereinto and compares theunscrambled secret number with the identification number. If two numbersare found identical, the machine determines that the card has been usedby its proper owner. According to this prior art system, however, theprogram according to which each card number is scrambled into its secretnumber is rather simple. Therefore, if a person happens to know severalcard numbers and their respective secret numbers, he will be able toknow the program for scrambling the card number and decipher from a cardnumber its corresponding secret number.

Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide a system foridentifying the proper user of a credit card or the like in a vendingmachine or the like, wherein it is practically impossible to decipherthe secret number from the card number.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a system asaforesaid, wherein each card is given a card number and a key number,and wherein to obtain a secret number for the card, the order orarrangement of the numerals constituting the card number is firstchanged or scrambled in accordance with a program as determined on thebasis of the key number, and from the scrambled card number some of thecomponent numerals are removed in accordance with a different program asdetermined on the basis of the key number, so that the number comprisingthe remaining numerals of the scrambled card number will be used as thesecret number of the card.

The invention with its above and other objects, features and advantageswill become clear from the following description of a preferredembodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGS. 1 to 3 show examples of the programs according to which the cardnumber is scrambled into its corresponding secret number;

FIG. 4 is a general layout of the system of the invention;

FIGS. 5 to 8 are block diagrams of the component parts of the system;

FIG. 9 is a detailed circuit diagram of the converter matrix as shown inFIG. 5; and

F [G 10 is a detailed circuit diagram of the converter matrix as shownin FIG. 7.

It is assumed in the illustrated embodiment that the card number is a6-digit number comprising six numerals A, B, C, D, E and F arranged inthe order mentioned, and that the key number is a 2-digit numbercomprising two numerals G and H arranged in the order mentioned. In FIG.4 the card number is shown as 308915 and the key number, as 48. The twonumbers are written on the card optically, magnetically or mechanicallyand can be read by any suitable card reader known in the art. When thecard reader reads the key number GI-I, the GH-to-gh conversion isconducted in accordance with the program as shown in the table ofFIG. 1. If the key number GI-I is 48, gh will be given as in the squarewhere G column No. 4 (expressing the numeral in the second place of the2-digit key number) meets I-I row No. 8

(expressing the numeral in the first place thereof) in the table ofFIG. 1. The numeral g in the converted key number gh is used to providethe index number X for indicating the arrangement or order to which thecard number is scrambled, and the numeral h is used to provide the indexnumber Y for indicating which of the numerals constituting the scrambledcard number are to be removed therefrom. In the illustrated example,since the numeral g is l, the numeral at the second (10) place of thecard number 308915, that is, the numeral l will be the index number Xfor indicating the arrangement to which the card number is scrambled,and since the numeral h is 5, the numeral at the 6th 10") place of thecard number, that is, the numeral 3 will be the index number Y forindicating the numerals to be removed from the card number. As shown inthe table of FIG. 2, the index number l indicates that the card numberABCDEF (=3089l5) be converted or scrambled into BFACED (=0538 l 9), andas shown in the table of FIG. 3, the index number 3 indicates that thenumerals D, E and F should be removed from the card number BFACED, sothat the resulting number will be BAC, that is, 038. Thus the cardnumber 308915 has been converted to its secret number 038 on the basisof the key number 48. The secret number 038 is previously known to theowner of the card numbered 308915.

When the card is used in, say, an automatic vending machine, the userenters the secret number of the card separately into the machine. Themachine reads the 6-digit card number 308915 and recognizes the 3-digitsecret number in the above-mentioned manner and then compares the latternumber with the secret number separately entered thereinto. If the twosecret numbers are identical, the user of the card is recognized as theproper owner of the card.

The card number and the key number may be arranged so as to appear as ifthey were a single 8-digit number, say, like ABCDEFGH. Also, some of thenumerals of the card number may be used as its key number. For example,if the card number is ABCDEF, EF may be used as its key number.

Referring to FIG. 4, a card reader 10 reads the card number 308915 andits key number 48. A converter 11 converts the card number into 053819in the above-mentioned manner, from which the numerals 5, l and 9 areremoved to obtain 038. On the other hand, the user of the cardseparately enters the secret number 038 he memorizes into the system bymeans of a dial means 12. A collator 13 compares the two outputs fromdevices 11 and 12 and produces an output 14 if the two input signals areidentical. The output 14 may be used as a signal to actuate, say, thearticle dispensing mechanism of an automatic vending machine.

The key number is a number separate from the card number. As previouslymentioned, however, the key number may be included in the card number.The key number may appear visibly on the card, but preferably it isinvisible. The key number may be used to limit the use of the card topredetermined districts or machines.

Turning to FIG. 5, the numerals A, B, C, D, E and F of the card numberand the numerals G and H of the key number are read and memorized byreading units 20 27, respectively. When the unit 26 reads the numeral Gwhich may be 0, l or 7', it produces a corresponding output G0, G1 orG7; and when the unit 27 reads the numeral H which may be l 2, or 8, itproduces a corresponding output H1, H2, or H8. These outputs are appliedto a device 28 for checking if the card is acceptable or not. If thenumber GB is set as acceptable in the device 28, it produces an outputsignal J1. In the following description, when a circuit element producesa signal, the condition will sometimes be referred to as the elementproducing a signal I or the output from the element being l and when acircuit element produces no signal, the condition will sometimes bereferred to as the element producing a signal 0 or the output from theelement being 0; and a line and the signal on that line will sometimesbe designated by the same reference symbol.

When the output J1 from the device 28 remains further operation of thesystem must be prevented. To this end, the signal .11 is applied as aninput to a NOT element 124 in FIG. 8 to be described later.

The signals GO G7 and H1 H8 from the reading units 26 and 27 are appliedto a converter matrix 29. This matrix performs the previously describedGI-I-tog1z conversion and has outputs g0 g and k0 115. The matrix 29 isso arranged that when the key number GI-I is 48, the number gh will bethat is, when the input signals G4 and H8 to the matrix are 1", theoutputs g1 and h5 therefrom will be l As shown in detail in FIG. 9, thematrix 29 comprises a diode AND matrix 160 and a diode multiplier matrix161. The matrix 160 is so arranged that it receives from the readingunit 26 the signals GO G7 expressing the numerals O 7, respectively, andfrom the unit 27 the signals H1 H7 expressing the numerals l 8,respectively, and produces outputs corresponding to the numbers GH=01through GI-I=78. The matrix 161 is so arranged that it converts thenumber GH into a corresponding number gh. To this end, the diodes 163and 164, for example, connect the input lines G4 and H8 to the line 162in the diode 160, so that when both signals G4 and H8 becomes 1, asignal 1" appears on the line 162. This signal 1 causes the signals 31and k5 to become 1 through diodes 165 and 166 in the matrix 161. Thus,the number GH=48 has now been converted to the number glr=l5.

The numerals A F are read by reading units 25, respectively, whichproduce output signals A0 A9, B0 B9, F0 F9, respectively, expressing thenumerals 0 9. For example, when the numeral A is 3, the signal A3becomes 1" and when the numeral B is O, the signal B0 becomes l Thesesignals are applied to OR elements (FIG. 5), which produce outputs J2J7, respectively, when the numerals A F have been read by thecorresponding reading units. For example, if the numeral A has beenrecognized as 3', the signal A3 becomes 1", so that the output signal J2from the OR element 30 becomes l If there is no numeral A read from thecard, all the signals A0 A9 remains 0 so that the output J2 from the ORelement 30 remains 0. When all the signals J2 through J7 have become 1,the numerals A F are recognized as constituting a 6-digit number. Thesignals J2 J7 are applied to an AND element 146 in FIG. 8. As will bedescribed later in detail, the element 146 produces an output only whenall the signals J2 J7 have become l The outputs A0 A9, B0 B9, F0 F9 arealso applied as inputs to gate circuits 45, respectively. These gatecircuits receive as a control signal the outputs g5 g0 from theconverter matrix 29, respectively. When the control signals g5 g0 becomel the gate circuits 40 produce outputs agn, bgn, ,fgn (wherein n is 0,1,2,. ,or 9), respectively. For example, when the numeral g is l so thatthe signal g1 alone is rendered l the output E1 from the reading unit 24that reads the numeral E (which has been assumed to be 1 in the secondplace of the card number ABCDEF becomes 1 thereby causing the output eglfrom the gate 44 to become 1'. Thus, the numeral g (which is 0, l, 2, or5) obtained by the converter matrix 29 determines the place (which is10", 10, or 10 at which one of the numerals A', B, C, D, E and F is readby the corresponding one of the reading units 20 25. In the illustratedembodiment, since the numeral g is l, the numeral E (=1) in the 2nd(=10) place of the card number ABCDEF is read by the reading unit 24.The numeral E (=1) determines the program according to which the cardnumber is scrambled as will be described hereinafter.

The outputs agn, bgn, ,fgn (wherein n is O, l, 2, ,or 5) from the gatecircuits 40 45 corresponding to the numerals A, B, C, D, E and F,respectively, are applied to an OR element 70 in FIG. 6. The output Xn(wherein n is 0, l, 2, or 9) from the element 70 expresses thepreviously described index number X for changing or scrambling the orderor arrangement of the numerals A F of the card number. The output linesago, bgO, and fgO are connected as a single group to the OR element 70;the output lines agl, bgl, and fgl are connected as a single group tothe element 70; and in a similar manner, the output lines ag2, and fg2;ag3, andfg3; and ag9, .fg9 are connected as a single group respectivelyto the element 70. When one of the inputs of each group, for example,ag0, ,fg0 becomes l the output X0 is rendered l The outputs from thereading units 20 25 are also applied to gate circuits 50 55,respectively. The gate circuits 50 55 are of the same construction asthe previously mentioned gate circuits 40 45. The outputs hS of theconverter matrix 29 are applied as a control input to the gate circuits50 55, respectively. When the control inputs 1:5 h0 become 1", the gatecircuits 50 55 produce outputs ahn, bhn, and fhn (wherein n is 0, l, 2,or 9), respectively. For example, when the control input alone is 1, theoutput A3 from the reading unit 20 corresponding to the numeral A (whichhas been assumed to be 3) in the 6th (10 place of the card number ABCDEF(=308915) causes the gate circuit 50 to render its output ah3 1. Thus,the numeral h (which is 0, l, 2, or 5) obtained by the matrix 29determines the place (10, 10,..., or 10 at which one ofthe numerals A- Fis to be read by the corresponding one of the reading units 20 25. Inthe illustrated embodiment, since the numeral 11 is 5, the numeral A(=3) in the 6th (=10 place of the card number ABCDEF is read by thereading unit 20. The numeral A determines the program according to whichsome of the component numerals are to be removed from the scrambled cardnumber as will be described hereinafter.

The outputs ahn, bhn, .,flm (wherein n is 0, l, 2, or 9) from the gatecircuits 50 55 corresponding to the numerals A, B, and F, respectively,are applied to an OR element 71 which is of the same construction as theOR element 70. The output Yn (wherein n is 0, 1,2, or 9) from the ORelement 71 expresses the previously described index number Y forindicating which of the component numerals of the scrambled card numberare to be removed therefrom.

The outputs X0- X9 and Y0 Y9 from the OR elements 70 and 71 are appliedto another converter matrix 90 (FIG. 7). The matrix 90 converts the cardnumber into a corresponding secret number in accordance with theprograms in the tables of FIGS. 2 and 3 as determined by the indexnumbers Xn and Yn. When the index numbers have been determined, thesecret number is also determined. The matrix 90 will be described indetail later with reference to FIG. 10.

When a credit card has been introduced into the machine, the user of thecard manually introduces into the machine a 3- digit number he memorizesas the secret number of the card. The introduction may be conducted bymeans of a dial (FIG. 8). The dial may be of the same construction asthat used in a telephone and has two switches 121 and 122. The switch121 is closed when the dial begins to be turned and kept closed whilethe dial is being turned and then opened when the dial has been returnedto the original position. While the dial is returning counter-clockwiseto the original position after having introduced a required number(which may be 0, l, or 9) into the system, the switch 122 is repeatedlyoperated to produce the same number of pulses as the number just dialedinto the system. The pulses produced by the switches 121 are applied toa pulse counter 123 through a differentiator 126. Therefore, the counter123 counts the number of operations of the dial 120, that is, the numberof the digits of the secret number to be dialed into the system. In theillustrated embodiment, since the secret number is a 3- digit number,three pulses are successively applied to the counter 123, which has itsoutput shifted from its output terminal O1 to Q2 and thence to Q3.

The previously mentioned signal J1 (FIG. 5) is applied as a reset signalto the counter 123 through the NOT element 124 and an OR element 125.Therefore, when the signal J1 is O, the reset signal is l so that thecounter 123 does not operate, while when the signal J1 becomes 1, thereset signal becomes 0 so that the counter 123 is ready to operate. Thismeans that it is only when the card introduced is acceptable that thecounter 123 can operate.

The outputs O1 Q3 from the counter 123 are applied to the convertermatrix 90 (FIG. 7), the outputs 1a 1f from which determine the order inwhich those three of the numerals A E which are selected by the indexnumbers X and Y are arranged for a 3-digit secret number. To explain itin detail with reference to FIG. 10, the matrix 90 comprises a diode ANDmatrix 170, a diode multiplier matrix 171 and a diode OR matrix 210. Thesignals X0 X9 and Y0 Y9 are applied as inputs to the matrix 170 toproduce outputs of XY=O0 through XY=99. In accordance with the outputfrom the matrix 170, the matrix 17] determines which three of the sixnumerals A, B, F constituting the card number are to be arranged into acorresponding secret number. Suppose, for example, that the input X1 andY3 are both 1. Then a signal appears on the line 172 of the matrix 170,so that in the matrix 171 the signals on the lines lb, 20 and 3c become1 through the diodes 175, 176 and 177, respectively. This means thatwhen X 1 and Y 3, the numerals B, A and C are chosen as the secretnumber for the card number ABCDEF. In other words, when an index numberhas been determined for each of Y and X, the X determines the programaccording to which the arrangement of the numerals of the card number ischanged or scrambled and the Y determines which three of the componentnumerals are to be removed from the scrambled card number so that theremaining numerals serve as the secret number for the card number.

The matrix 171 includes a first group oflines 1a, 1b,. 1f; a secondgroup of lines 2a, 2b, 2f; and a third group of lines 3a, 3f. The linesof the first group correspond to the numerals A, B, F, respectively,which are to be selected as the numeral at the third place of the3-digit secret number and are connected as one input to AND elements 180185, respectively. The output Q1 from the previously described counter123 is applied as the other input to each of the AND elements 180 185.Therefore, when the dial 120 is turned for a first time, it isdetermined which of the numerals constituting the card number is to bechosen as the number at the third 10 place of the 3-digit secret number.

In like manner, the lines 2a, 2b, 2f of the second group correspond tothe numerals A, B, F, respectively, which are to be selected as thenumeral at the second (10) place of the 3-digit secret number and areconnected as one input to AND elements 190 195, to each of which theoutput Q2 of the pulse counter 123 is applied as the other input.Therefore, when the dial 123 is turned for a second time, it isdetermined which of the numerals constituting the card number is to bechosen as the numeral at the second place of the secret number.

The lines 3a, 3f of the third group correspond to the numerals A F,respectively, which are to be selected as the numeral at the first (10)place of the secret number and are connected as one input to ANDelements 200 205, respectively, to each of which the output Q3 from thecounter 123 is applied as the other input. Therefore, when the dial isturned for a third and last time, it is determined which of the numeralsconstituting the card number is to be chosen as the numeral at the first10) place of the secret number.

The outputs from the AND elements 180 185, 190 195 and 200 205 areapplied to a diode OR matrix 210 having output lines 1a 1f correspondingto the numerals A F, respectively. Gate circuits 60 65 are of the sameconstruction as the previously mentioned gate circuits 40 45 and 50 55and receives as their respective inputs the outputs An, Bn, Fn (whereinn is 0, 1,2,. or 9) from the reading units 25. The outputs from the gatecircuits 60 65 appear as signals S0 S9 through diode matrixes 80 85,respectively. These matrixes are of the same construction as the ORcircuits 70 and 71 in FIG. 6. Suppose that as the dial 120 is turnedthree times, the signals Lb, La and Le from the matrix 90 becomes 1successively. Then, the gate circuits 61, 60, 62 are successively openedso that a signal successively appears on those of the lines S0 S9 whichcorrespond to the numerals B, A and C. For example, if A=3, B=0 and C=8,the output B0 from the reading unit 21 causes the gate circuit 61 toproduce a signal on the line S0 and the output A3 from the reading unit20 causes the gate circuit 60 to produce a signal on the line S3 andthen finally the output C8 from the reading unit 22 causes the gatecircuit 62 to produce a signal on the line S8. This means that thesecret number is 038. This number is compared with the number memorizedand entered separately into the system by the user of the card.

As previously described, the user of the card introduces its secretnumber by means of the dial 120, and the switch 121 is kept closed fromthe time when the dial begins to be turned clockwise to a desired numberuntil the time when it has been returned to the original position, andthe switch 122 is repeatedly operated the same number of times as thedialed number. The pulses produced by the operation of the switch 122are applied to a counter 128 through a differentiator 127. The counter128 has ten output lines M1, M2, M9 and M0, and from the outputcondition on these output lines it is possible to know the dialednumber. For example, when 0 is dialed at first, the switch 122 isrepeatedly closed ten times until the counter 128 has its output shiftedonto the line M0. The counter 128 is reset by the output from thedifferentiator 126, that is, when turning of the dial 120 has beenstarted. For example, when turning of the dial 120 is started to enterthe number 3 into the system after dialing of the number 0 has beenfinished, the counter 128 is reset, and when the number 3 has beendialed, the output M3 from the counter 128 becomes l The outputs Mothrough M9 are applied as one input to AND elements 130 through 139,respectively, to which the outputs S0 through S9 from the diode 0Rmatrixes in FIG. 5 are applied as the other input for checking theproper correspondence between the secret number of a card and the numbermemorized by the user of the card as its secret number. The latternumber will sometimes be referred to as the memorized secret numberhereinafter. If the two numbers are both 038, the signals M0, S0; M3,S3; and M8, S8 become l so that the outputs from the AND elements 130,133 and 138 become l in succession. In other words, if the 3-digitsecret number coincides with the 3-digit memorized secret number, theoutputs from the corresponding three of the AND elements 139 arerendered 1 The outputs from the AND elements 130 139 are applied as oneinput to an AND element 141 through an OR element 140. The AND element141 receives as a second input the output from a NOT element 142 and asthe third input the output froman OR element 143. Since the signalproduced upon closing of the switch 121 is applied to the input of theNOT element 142, the output from the NOT element 142 becomes 1 onlyafter the dial 120 has completely returned to the original position. TheNOT element 142 is provided to ensure that it is only after the dial 120has been completely stopped that collation of each numeral of the dialedmemorized number with each corresponding numeral of the secret numberobtained from the card number is effected. The outputs Q1 Q3 from thecounter 123 are applied to the OR element 143. Since the signal Q1 Q3successively become 1 as the three numerals constituting the memorizedsecret number are successively dialed into the system, the OR element143 ensures that if a fourth numeral has been dialed, no collation willbe conducted.

The output from the AND element 141 is applied to a counter 145 throughdifferentiator 144. When the numerals at each corresponding pair of thethree places of the 3-digit secret number and memorized number areidentical, the counter 145 receives three input pulses so that itproduces an output at its terminal 3. However, if the numerals at anycorresponding pair of the places of the two 3-digit numbers do notcoincide, the output signal from the counter 145 remains 0.

The counter 145 receives its reset input signal the output from the NOTelement 124, the input to which is the output signal J1 from the device28 for checking the acceptability of the card. When the card isacceptable, the signal J1 becomes 1", so that the reset signal isthereby conditioning the counter 145 ready to operate. If the cardintroduced is not acceptable, the counter 145 remains reset and cannotoperate.

The output at the terminal 3 of the counter 145, which becomes l whenthe secret number and memorized number coincide, is applied as one inputto an AND element 146, to which the signals J2 J7 are also applied asthe other six inputs. These signals J2 J7 are the outputs from the ORelements 30 35 (FIG. 5) which becomes 1" only when the card number is a6-digit number. Otherwise, that is, if any one of the signals J2 J7remains 0, the AND element 146 produces no output. Therefore, the outputfrom the AND element 146 becomes l only when the card number is aclearly written 6-digit number and the secret number and the memorizednumber are identical. The output from the AND element 146 is applied toa NOT element 147 and an AND element 148. The output from the NOTelement 147 is applied as one input to an AND element 149. The output Q3from the counter 123 is applied as the other input to the AND elements148 and 149. Since the signal Q3 becomes 1." when dialing of the numeralat the first place of the memorized secret number has been finished,collation of the secret number and the memorized number is performedonly after dialing of the 3-digit memorized number has been completed.When the signal Q3 becomes I, if the secret number and the memorizednumber coincide, the output from the AND element 148 is rendered 1",while if they do not, the output from the AND element 149 is rendered1".

When the output from the AND element 148 is rendered 1 it means that aproper correspondence exists between the credit card and the person whohas used the card in the system. Therefore, the output from the ANDelement 148 may be used to actuate, say, the article dispensingmechanism of an automatic vending machine, not shown. On the contrary,when the output from the AND element 149 becomes 1, it means that noproper correspondence exists between the card and its user, so that theoutput signal may be used, say, to collect the card into the machine notto be returned.

The outputs from the AND elements 148 and 149 are applied as a resetinput to the counter 123 through an OR element 150, a timer 151 and anOR element 125, so that when the checking has been finished, the counter123 is reset to make the system ready for the next operation.

What we claim is:

l. A system for identifying the proper user of a credit card or the likein a vending machine or the like, said card having an identificationnumber and a key number recorded thereon. comprising: means forreceiving said card introduced into said system; means for reading theidentification number and key number of said card; means for convertingsaid key number to a predetermined different number; means forscrambling the arrangement of the numerals constituting saididentification number in accordance with a program as determined on thebasis of at least one of the numerals constituting said converted keynumber; means for selecting from said scrambled identification numberthose numerals at the digit positions which are selected in accordancewith a program which is determined by at least another of said numeralsof said converte key number, said selected numerals comprising a secretnumber of said card; me manually operated by the user of said card toenter into said system a number memorized by said user as the secretnumber of said card; means for checking whether said secret number andmemorized number are identical; and means operated in response to saidchecking means to produce an output signal when said secret number andmemorized number are identical.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said identification number and saidkey number are arranged on said card so as to appear as if they were asingle number.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said key number comprises part of saididentification number.

4. A system for identifying the proper user of a credit card or the likein a vending machine or the like, said card having an identificationnumber and a key number recorded thereon, comprising: means forreceiving said card introduced into said system; means for reading theidentification number and key number of said card; means for convertingsaid key number to a predetermined different number; first selectingmeans operated in response to said key number converting means forselecting a first numeral of said identification number in accordancewith a first numeral of said converted key number, second selectingmeans operated in response to said key number converting means forselecting a second numeral of said identification number in accordancewith a second numeral of said converted key number; means operated inresponse to said first selecting means to cause said reading means toread said first selected numeral of said identification number; meansoperated in response to said second selecting means to cause saidreading means to read said second selected numeral of saididentification number; means for selecting certain digit positions ofsaid identification number in accordance with a program as determined bysaid selected numerals, means causing said reading means to read thenumerals at said selected digit positions of said identification numberas the secret number of said card; means manually operated by the userof said card to enter into said system a number memorized by said useras the secret number of said card; means for checking whether saidsecret number and memorized number are identical; and means operated inresponse to said checking means to produce an output signal when saidsecret number and memorized number are identical.

1. A system for identifying the proper user of a credit card or the likein a vending machine or the like, said card having an identificationnumber and a key number recorded thereon, comprising: means forreceiving said card introduced into said system; means for reading theidentification number and key number of said card; means for convertingsaid key number to a predetermined different number; means forscrambling the arrangement of the numerals constituting saididentification number in accordance with a program as determined on thebasis of at least one of the numerals constituting said converted keynumber; means for selecting from said scrambled identification numberthose numerals at the digit positions which are selected in accordancewith a program which is determined by at least another of said numeralsof said converte key number, said selected numerals comprising a secretnumber of said card; me manually operated by the user of said card toenter into said system a number memorized by said user as the secretnumber of said card; means for checking whether said secret number andmemorized number are identical; and means operated in response to saidchecking means to produce an output signal when said secret number andmemorized number are identical.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein saididentification number and said key number are arranged on said card soas to appear as if they were a single number.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein said key number comprises part of said identification number. 4.A system for identifying the proper user of a credit card or the like ina vending machine or the like, said card having an identification numberand a key number recorded thereon, comprising: means for receiving saidcard introduced into said system; means for reading the identificationnumber and key number of said card; means for converting said key numberto a predetermined different number; first selecting means operated inresponse to said key number converting means for selecting a firstnumeral of said identification number in accordance with a first Numeralof said converted key number, second selecting means operated inresponse to said key number converting means for selecting a secondnumeral of said identification number in accordance with a secondnumeral of said converted key number; means operated in response to saidfirst selecting means to cause said reading means to read said firstselected numeral of said identification number; means operated inresponse to said second selecting means to cause said reading means toread said second selected numeral of said identification number; meansfor selecting certain digit positions of said identification number inaccordance with a program as determined by said selected numerals, meanscausing said reading means to read the numerals at said selected digitpositions of said identification number as the secret number of saidcard; means manually operated by the user of said card to enter intosaid system a number memorized by said user as the secret number of saidcard; means for checking whether said secret number and memorized numberare identical; and means operated in response to said checking means toproduce an output signal when said secret number and memorized numberare identical.